Resources
JOB SEEKERS
Asking for recommendations can be intimidating. We’ve all been there! In my experience though, most people will be happy to support you. I actually love it when someone asks me to recommend them because it means they value our relationship. Supporting the people I love and respect by writing recommendations is something I’m always excited to do. That said, if you want thoughtful recommendations, you need to put in effort before, during, and after your request.
What do you want to be when you grow up? How many of us have been asked this and had a certain answer? Personally, I’ve never had my sights set on a particular career. Sometimes I even joke that I’m still deciding what I want to be when I grow up, and frankly I think that’s perfectly fine! In fact, I’ve changed my career successfully many times, and you can too with this guide!
When you’re hunting for a new job, familiarizing yourself with local organizations is one of the best ways to give yourself an edge with unique opportunities for employment, networking, and skill-building. In the Portland area there are tons of local organizations that can help you find awesome opportunities, but here are a few of the best ones to start with:
Linda is an amazing networker, and a friend of Cinder. As a Kindness Catalyst, she champions the profound benefits of kindness through her work as an author, professional speaker, and consultant. She lives in Oregon with her husband of 26 years, and they have two spirited young adult children and two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Ginger and Remy.
Alice is friend of Cinder and an amazing networker. As a vice president and partner at BPG Wealth Management, she’s a veteran when it comes to building lasting relationships. Alice is also a frequent public speaker on the topics of “Why Women Need to be in Charge of their Money” and “Your Network is Your Prosperity – How to Build a Strong Network by Paying it Forward”.
Kirsten is a friend of Cinder and an amazing networker! She has been connecting with people throughout her career as a broadcast news journalist, attorney, and business leader. After many years working for nonprofit foundations such as OHSU and Doernbecher, Kirsten founded Illumination Coaching. Her work as a leadership coach and consultant unites her communication expertise with her passion for authentic connection and helping people reach their full potential.
Marcus is a friend of Cinder and a phenomenal networker! He is a senior recruiter at Instrument and has worked with a wide variety of organizations, recruiting everybody from veterinarians to C-level executives. As an equity consultant and community advocate, Marcus is dedicated to building diverse ecosystems within the innovation economy. Over the past few years, he also led several diversity and inclusion initiatives at Cloudability.
Anyone who has spent time networking will tell you – it isn’t always easy. It takes energy, dedication, and a bit of bravery. Many people avoid networking at all costs, but with a bit of practice and the right approach it can bring amazing value into your social life and career. If you thrive on making connections and love learning about people – what they do and more importantly, why they do it – you’ll connect with awesome people. Becoming a networking pro takes time, but if you follow these essential principles, you’ll be well on your way towards networking effectively and authentically:
Will Elliott is a friend of Cinder and a remarkable networker. Will has been working in the real estate industry since 2008, both as a property manager, and now as a broker. After living in the Portland area for almost a decade, he moved back to Hawaii in 2017 to work for Cushman & Wakefield ChaneyBrooks and use his experience to bring value to the community in Hawaii.
As a job seeker, the quality of your resume has a huge impact on your success. In the same way that an excellent resume can elevate your chances, a terrible one can just as easily sink them. There are many strategies for creating an awesome resume, but we’ve got 8 simple guidelines that will help you stand out from the crowd.
Lou McKellar is a friend of Cinder and a fantastic networker. Having worked for large companies in the Bay Area, Japan, and Portland, he brings a wide range of networking experiences to the table. Lou has worked in sales, marketing, and HR, and he is currently a Human Resources Manager at Intel.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use. Although you don’t need to be an expert, there are a few things you should know to help differentiate between agencies and find someone who will serve your individual needs.
Scott Zellmer is a friend of Cinder and a phenomenal networker. He has worked as an engineer for cutting-edge companies like Micro Systems Engineering and RevMedx. As a partner at Arpeggiate Consulting Group, he uses his 30+ years of experience in technology development and manufacturing to help small businesses grow.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use. Although you don’t need to be an expert, there are a few things you should know to help differentiate between agencies and find someone who will serve your individual needs. For example, an essential aspect of any job search is understanding your payment and costs.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use. Although you don’t need to be an expert, there are a few things you should know to help differentiate between agencies and find someone who will serve your individual needs.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use.
If you’ve never worked with a staffing or recruiting agency before, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of services and work placements, as well as the jargon many recruiters and agencies use.
Many professionals work with a staffing agency at some point in their careers. Some even prefer to work through agencies, as it provides them a wider variety of job experience than staying with one or two companies throughout a career.
Different agencies specialize in different areas and there are some agencies that emphasize lower-skilled positions. However, companies of all sizes and industries will tell you that they have a hard time finding “good candidates,” and this applies to every skill and experience level.
Gone are the days where multiple previous roles on a resume meant that you were a serial job-hopper and no one would work with you.
You may have heard the rumor that recruiters post fake jobs to collect resumes, or that candidates are submitted for positions they didn’t agree to in advance.
Most recruiters want their candidates to be happy with their experience and their clients to be happy with the candidates they submit, so they value any feedback received from the hiring manager at any point in the process. However, the behavior of hiring managers can be unpredictable. Some are very motivated to get their position filled and can be very diligent (and quick to respond to emails and phone calls!) in their interactions with recruiters and candidates.